Container



pril 7, 1942. w. w. FLAGG CONTAINER Filed Jan. 5l, 1940 Patented Apr. 7, 1942 CGNTAINER` Wesley W. Flagg, Belmont, Mass., assigner of onehalf to Clifton E. Flagg, Reno, Nev.

Application January 31, 1940, Serial No. 316,573

(Cl. 20G-38) 2 Claims.

My invention relates to containers and more especially to a portable pocket container for holding keys and other small articles.

The object of my invention is to provide a container of the class indicated which will be particularly adapted for use by motorists and within which may be stored not only keys which are frequently used but also the motoris'ts license and registration papers. A further object is to provide a device of the character indicated constructed with a flashlight which may be employed to facilitate the use of a key in darkness.

To these ends I have provided a container of the class described constructed and operating as set forth in the following description, the several novel features of the invention being separately pointed out and defined in the claims at the close thereof.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is an end elevation of my improved container.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the container shown in Fig. l.

Figure 3 is an elevation of the opposite end of the container shown in Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a section on line 4--4 of Fig, 2.

Figure 5 is a section on line 5 5 of Fig. 2.

Figure 6 is a section on line 6-5 of Fig. 3, enlarged twice full size.

Figure 7 is a section on line 'l-'l of Fig. 6.

Figure 8 is an enlarged elevation of the inner slide section hereinafter described.

Figure 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of the inner slide section shown in Fig. 8.

Figure l@ is an enlarged elevation of the outer slide section hereinafter described.

Figure 1l is a longitudinal sectional view of the outer slide section shown in Fig. l0.

The embodiment of my invention, herein illustrated, comprises a body having a :dat panellike intermediate portion I 0, two relatively parallel cylinders II and IIa, one at each side of the intermediate portion I0 and an end wall l2. This body may be produced from a single piece of sheet metal, having its opposite side marginal portions bent or curled inwardly to form the cylinders I I and I Ia and having an integral end flap which is bent into perpendicular relationship with the intermediate portion I0 to form the end wall I2. The two cylinders thus serve as oppositely disposed side walls of a compartment while the intermediate portion or panel I0 serves as the rear wall thereof.

The end wall I2 is formed with an eye I3 oc- Y cupying a position between two eyes I4 provided at one end of a closure panel or cover I5. At its opposite end the closure panel I5 is made with a laterally extending resilient tang I6 formed with a socket II in the form of a slot adapted to be occupied by a stud or lug I8 provided on the intermediate portion lll of the body at one end of the latter. Eyes I3 and I4 are occupied by a pivot pintle 40.

Adjacent to the stud I8 the intermediate portion I-S oi the body is formed with two relatively parallel slits I9 which provide between them a strap or band which is bowed inwardly, as shown in Fig. 5, to provide an eye 20 through which extends a key-holding chain or cable 2l of ordinary construction. The two cylinders II and lia are spaced apart, as shown, to provide between them a compartment for the chain 2i and keys 22 mounted thereon. Figs. 1, 2 and 3 show the device full size and, as will be observed, the compartment between the two cylinders is large enough to accommodate a considerable number of keys, and when the closure panel I5 is late-hed in its closed position the keys and chain are confined within the compartment. As shown in Fig. l, however, a key 22 may be disposed outside of the body while it is being used and while the panel I5 occupies its closed position.

At its front end the cylinder I Ia is permanently closed by a thimble 23 telescopically fitted therein and secured permanently in place by soldering or otherwise. The opposite end of cylinder I Ia is normally closed by a shutter 24 that is pivotally fastened to the end wall I2 at 25 by a rivet. When it is desired to have access to the interior of cylinder I Ia the shutter 24 may be swung aside into an open position.

Telescopically tted within the front end of cylinder I I is a thimble 26 permanently fastened in place by means of solder or otherwise, and this thimble is formed at its middle with a threaded aperture to receive the threaded screw-shell or base of an electric lamp 21. The opposite end of cylinder II is normally closed by a shutter 28 that is pivotally fastened to the wall I 2 by a rivet 29 so that it may be swung aside when it is desired to have access to the interior of the cylinder.

Each shutter 24 and 28 is molded upon its inner side with a boss 3U which fits into the end of its cylinder so as to hold said shutter against accidental displacement on its rivet 29. When either shutter is to be opened it is swung away from its cylinder slightly to clear the end of the latter and, therefore, the said shutters are preferably made from resilient sheet metal,

Cylinder Il is made with a longitudinal slot 3l which is occupied by a pair of lugs 32 forming part of a push-button 33 disposed outside of the cylinder. This push-button 33 is seated upon the exterior of an outer sheet metal slide section 34, Figs. 6, and l1, to which it may, if desired, be fastened by solder or otherwise, and the lugs 32, which are extensions oi the oppositely disposed side Walls of the button 33, occupy notches 35 formed at opposite sides oi outer slide section 34.

Within the cylinder Il is provided an inner slide section 35, Figs. 6, 8 and 9, provided at opposite sides thereof with notches 3l which are also occupied by the lugs 32, the extremities of the latter being clinched or bent over on to the inner slide section 36, as shown in Fig. '1.

It will be clear that push-button 33 and slide sections 34 and 36 make up a slide unit which can be slid longitudinally relatively to cylinder Il by finer pressure imposed upon button 33.

The inner slide section 36 is made with two spaced apart lugs 3l and 38 between which is arranged a dry battery 39, and it will be clear that when slide 33-34--36 is shoved endwise toward lamp 2l the lug 33 will contact the shell of battery 39 and the latter will be slid forward to cause its center Contact 40 to engage the center contact 4I of lamp 21 thereby closing the circuit through the lamp and illuminating the same. It will also be clear that when the slide 33-34- 36 is moved in the opposite direction the lug 3'1 will shift battery 39 away from the lamp.

As shown in Fig. 9 the inner slide section 35 is a bow-spring which is distorted trom its normal shape, shown in Fig. 9, by the presence oi the battery 39 so that it yieldingly presses said battery sidewise against the wall oi cylinder il thereby creating friction between the battery and the wall of the cylinder which serves to hold the battery and the slide in their adjusted positions at all times.

As shown in Fig. 7 the outer slide section 34 and inner slide section 33 are made arcuate in cross-section to iit the shape of cylinder l i.

When a new battery is to be substituted ior an exhausted battery the shutter 28 is opened after which slide 333436 is shoved toward the lower end of cylinder ll, 'to the limit of its movement in that direction determined by the length of the slot 3! which carries the :free end of inner section 36 outside of cylinder Il as shown by dotted lines in Figl 6. The exhausted battery can then be removed and a fresh battery substituted.

The above described container is especially designed ior use by motorists, the compartment between the two cylinders Il and lia serving to accommodate a considerable number oi keys while the interior of cylinder Ha may be utilized as a storage chamber for the motorists license and registration. Thus the motorist cannot use his car unless he is in possession of the container with the keys held thereby and when he is in possession of the container and keys he also has with him his license and registration. When using a key in darkness the push-button 33 may be operated to light the lamp after which the key may be used while the keyhole is illuminated by the lamp, and as will be clear the device may be manipulated and used by one hand.

What I claim is:

l. A container oi the class described comprising a body including two relatively parallel spaced apart cylinders connected by an intermediate iiat panel constituting the rear wall oi' a compartment disposed between said cylinders and also including an end wall closing one end ol said compartment; an adjustable closure panel Whose opposite side marginal portions are seated upon said cylinders, said closure panel constituting the iront wall oi said compartment and being hingedly connected at its one end with said end wall; means detachably `iastening the opposite end of said closure panel to the iront end of said intermediate panel, said means including an apertured resilient tang projecting laterally from the front end or said closure panel and constituting an end wall section by which keys are held within said compartment, and said tang being or less width than the width or said compartment so as to provide a passageway for a flexible keyholding cable; a stud projecting from the iront end oi said rear wall panel adapted to occupy the aperture ol said tang so as to hold said closure panel in its closed position; adjustable clo sures ior the rear ends oi said cylinders, and means closing the front ends oi said cylinders.

2. A container of the class described comprising a body formed from a single piece oi sheet metal bent to provide two relatively parallel spaced apart cylinders connected by a fiat intermediate panel constituting the rear wall of a compartment disposed between said cylinders, said intermediate panel having at its rear end a laterally bent extension providing a fixed end wall for said compartment, and also comprising an adjustable closure panel whose opposite side marginal portions are seated upon said cylinders, said closure panel constituting the front wall of said compartment and being hingedly connected at its one end with said xed end wall and made at its opposite end with a laterally projecting resilient tang constituting an end wall section that is separably interlocked with said ilat rear wall panel so as to hold said closure panel in its closed position.

WESLEY W. FLAGG. 

